Delhi minister accused of slapping aide during dispute over road quality

Delhi Public Works Minister Parvesh Verma slapped a man who was recording a road inspection in west Delhi, according to a video described by India Today and a complaint from the man involved. The incident occurred in Tilak Nagar during a dispute between Verma and Aam Aadmi Party legislator Jarnail Singh over the quality of road construction. The video shows Verma pulling down a mobile phone with his left hand before striking the person filming with his right hand.

The man was identified as Sahib Singh, an aide to Jarnail Singh. Singh was recording the exchange between the legislator and the minister. After the slap, he appeared to confront Verma, while a security guard moved between them as people gathered at the scene.

The disagreement began during Verma’s inspection of the road. Singh was shown pulling at the newly laid surface and lifting pieces of it, according to the report. He accused the work of being carried out under the Bharatiya Janata Party government and said the road would not last.

Verma rejected Singh’s criticism and said Singh had failed to build roads during 15 years while the current government was doing so. Singh then followed the minister while holding pieces of the road, as his aide continued recording the exchange. Singh told the ANI news agency that he was live-streaming the conversation on the MLA’s page when Verma intervened.

He said the minister took the phone from him, raised his hand and slapped him. Singh also alleged that security personnel accompanying Verma pushed and threatened him. Singh said he had filed a police complaint and provided the names of those involved.

He said further action depended on the police, but argued that action should be taken against Verma because he is a serving minister. The supplied material did not state whether police had announced any response.